Recording-skid.



G. E. MUHLBNBERG.

RECORDING SKID.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1a, 190e.

917,743. Patented Apr. e, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l,

I Mggmm z C. E. MUHLENBERG.

RBGOEDING SKID.

APPLIOATIUN FILED MAY 1n. 190sA Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

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C. E. MUHLENBERG.

RECORDING SKID.

ArPLmuIon FILED un 1s. 1m.

Patented Apr. 6, 1909 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 /J' lllll l l MM Z www,

CHARLES E. MUHLENBERG, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

RE COBDING-SKID Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 18, 1908.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Serial No. 433,363.

To all 'whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs E. MUIILEN- BERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery an( State of Ohio, have invented. certain'new and useful Improvements in Recording-Skids; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for tallying cooperage, such for example, as barrels, kegs, casks, etc., otherwise termed registering skid.

The invention is especially ada ted for the use of breweries as 1t enables tie varying signes, of akuages, such for example, as hogsheads, liarrels, kegs and ponies, terms wellknown in and about breweries, to be accurately tallied or counted, so that the number of each of these sizes may be registered automatically in delvering'the same to or receiving them from transportation companies.

While my invention is shown and described in connection with cylindrical bodies, I do not desire to restrict the same to the tallying of such forms alone, as the same idea of means may be utilized in `connection with other forms of packages which it may be desirable to tall automatically, the fundamental princip e of the invention being the automatic-setting of the counters to a position to count the kegs or barrels by the action of the kegs or barrels themselves, and the subsequent o eration of the set counter by the action of t e kegs or barrels to register the same.

The invention may be said to comprise first-initially unlocking mechanism for placing the mechanism in a condition for setting the counters, secondly-eounter-setting mechanism by means of which the counters are set to a position to be actuated and thirdly-means for unlocking the mechanism through which the counters are actuated after being set; and fourthly-the mechanism for actuating the counters in tallying the barrels, kegs, etc., all of said mechanism beingactuated by the moving barrel or keg.

recedin a detailed description of the invention, re erence is made to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1, is a side elevation of the a paratus showing the mechanism actuate by a moving barrel to a position where the counters are set to register or tally said barrel. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the apparatus in the position shown in Fig. 1. enlarged side elevation of the counters and their adjunctive mechanism. Fig. 4, is an enlarged side elevation of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation on the line a e of Fig. 3. Fig. 6, is a detail of the main actuating lever and its operating mechanism` Fig. 7, is a detail o` a portion of the counter housing. Fig. 8, is a detail of the friction device which prevents the violent movement of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 when the same is allowed to return to its normal position. Fig. 9, is an enlarged detail view of the lower ortion of the countercarrying frame showing a receptacle for a ticket. Fig. 10, is a side elevation of the counter-carrying frame showing means for locking the counters when they are removed in a body from the machine.

In a detail description of the invention, similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 1 designate inclined skid rails which are united by cross ieces 3 and form a run-way over which the arrels or casks of dierent sizes descend by gravity. Mounted upon one side of the skid and sufficiently removed therefrom to allow an unobstructed passage of the larger barrels or casks, is a standard 2 supported from the rails 1 1 by the cross piece 3 and by the braces 3. Mounted at the upper end of said standard 2 is a cross arm 4 which rejects over the skid and supports a rock s aft 5. A portion of this cross arm 4 and the rock shaft 5 is shown in Fig. 2 of'the drawings. Depending from one end of the shaft 5 is a lever 6 which is adapted to be engaged by the barrel or cask as it descends over the skid as shown in Fig. 1, and to be actuated thereby. Above the lower end of the standard 2, there is a suitable guide 7 in the form of a channel plate in which is slidingly mounted a counter housing 8, in which are placed a series of specific counters one above the other as shown in Fig. 3. This housing so containing said counters is connected to the rock shaft 5 by a pitman 9 and a crank 10.

Inclosed within the housing 8 is a countercarrying frame 11, see Fig. 3, in which more Fig. 3, is an properly slpeaking, the series of counters are placed. his counter frame 11 is provided with a suitable number of counters having actuators 12 adapted to be engaged by actuating pins 13 arranged on one side of the counter frame 11. The countercarrying frame 11 is held in position in its housing 8 by lugs 14 and lock 15, and the said. housing 8 is provided. with a door 16 having a lock 17 which, when closed, conceals the counters from view. One side of the housing 8 is provided With a series of notches 18-see Fig. 7, which are adapted to be engaged by the pin 19 of the spring-actuated awl 20, and to thus maintain the counters 1n their set position, it being understood that the counter frame 11 is :moved vertically to the proper position to set a counter thereof in a dpositlon to register or tally cach articular i of keg or barrel, as wil more particularly appear hereinafter. The pawl 20 is pivoted at 21 to the lug 22 which projects from the standard 2. It will be seen that when the lever 6 is engaged by the rotating casks or barrels of varlous sizes, the counter housing 8 will be raised to bring the actuator 12 thereof opposite to or in alinement with its respective pin 13. Before the cask enga es the lever 6, the machine is rst unlocked y said cask enga in f the interlocking lever 23 which is control ed by a suitable weight 24 and has its pivot at 25 on the main lever 6. The cross arm 4 is provided with a pin 26 which is en aged by the upper end of the lever 23, and fgrom Fig. 6, it W1 l be seen that the cask will rst engage said lever 23 and the upper end of said lever will disengage the pin 26, thereby permitting the shaft 5 to be rocked by the lever 6 to elevate or set the counters through the actuation of the pitman 9 and the crank 10. The purpose of the locking lever 23 is to revent the machine being set and actuated y any agency other than the moving cask. The actuating pins 13 are mounted upon an actuator 27 which has movement to and from the connter frame. The actuator 27 is joined to a lever 28 which is fulcrumed at 21 and 29 to the standard 2 and receives movement from the rod 3()- see Figs. 2 and 4. The rod 30 is slidingly sup orted in bearings 31 mounted on one s1de of the skid and is connected by a crank 32 on the end of the rock shaft 33, the latter shaft havin bearings in the rails 1 1 and being provi ed atnits central portion with a trip piece or lever 34 which stands upright in the path of the descending barre s or casks. After the cask or barrel passes the lever 6 and sets the counter corresponding to that particular size of cask to a position opposite its respective actuating pin 13, the sai cask engages and depresses the trip lever 34 and thereby actuates the counter which was previously set. It will be seen that the lever 34 and the rod 30 are returned to normal posiemployed as illustrated in Fig. 8.

ameter j tion by means of the spring 35 which surrounds a portion of the rod 30. To prevent a violent movement of the rod 30 and thc parts connected thereto in being thus roturned to normal position, a friction device is rlhis triction device is mounted on one side of the skid at one end of the rod 30 and consists of a housing 36, in the lower portion of which is mounted a plug 37, the exposed end of which engages the end of the rod 30, said plug 37 being seated against a coil spring or cushion 38 inclosed within the housing 36, and the strength of which spring may be varied by means of an adjusting screw 39 which en gages the other end of the spring 38 and rcceives a nut 40.

To prevent the counter-actuating mechanism from being operated before the counters are set in position to be actuated by one or the other of the actuators 13, there is provided in the rod 30 a notch 41see Fig. 2 which is adapted to be engaged by the tapered end 44 of a plunger 42, said plunger being actuated by a spring surrounding a portion oi" it and having a bearing in the standard 2 and a bracket 43 on the cross piece 3. The longitudinal movement of the plunger 42 is limited between the notch 41 on the rod 30, and the counter housing 8. When the lever 6 is in its perpendicular or normal position, the housing 8 will likewise be in its lower or normal position, and the plunger 42 will be driven inwardly to engage the notch 41 on the rod 30 to lock said rod 30 and the trip lever 34 thus preventing the actuation of the set counters. The plunger 42 is forced inwardly to engage the notch 41, and to lock the rod 30, by the descending counter housing 8 engaging the tapered surface 45 of said plunger. See Fig. 4.

Mounted upon the actuator 27 is a pawl 46 pivoted at 47 and having an extension 48 which is adapted to engage the inner side 49 of the lever 20 to release the pin 19 from the notches 18 in the counter housing 8, thereby allowing the lever 6 and the housing 8 to descend by gravity. Then the actuator 27 moves inwardly to actu ate the selected counter, it carries the awl 46 with it, and the eX- tension 48 will fa l behind the side 49 of the lever 20. When the actuator 27 moves outwardly toits normal position, which is that shown in Fig. 3, the extension 48 will carry the lever 2() with it, thereby allowing the housing 8 to descend and lock the machine by engaging the end 45 of the rod or bolt 42. At the end of this descending movement, a projection 50 on the housing 8 engages the outer end 49 of the pawl 46 and dlsengages the projection 48 from the lever 20, thus allowing the in 19 on said lever to be free and in a con ition to engage the notches 18 when the counters are set for registering or tallying the next cask or barrel. The above a am@ mechanism may be inclosed in a casing (not shown) to prevent any one from tampering with the mechanism. The block 56 whicl'i is part of this casing, is mounted on the side o'l` the guide 7 and serves as a stop to prevent the paw] 46 from overturning.

Mounted upon the side of the guide plate 7 is a total counter 51 having an actuator 52 engaged by a bent lever 53 pivoted at 54. The upper end of said lever is provided with a slot 53 in which a pin 55 mounted on the main actuator 27 travels, see Fig. 3. Upon each operation ol' one of the individual counters, the total counter 51 will be actuated by the movement imparted to the bent lever 53 from the actuator 27 to register the totals of all the counters as each one is operated. The counter-carrying frame 11 is removable 'from the housing 8, and when so removed the counter actuators 12 are prevented from being accidentally operated by the following means: 57 is a slide on one side of the frame 1 1 in which there are orifices 5S through which the actuators project-see Fig. 10. Mounted in these orifices 58 are lugs 59 which engage slots in the lower sides of said actuators 12, said slots being indicated by the dotted lines, when the slide 57 is moved upwardly. The said slide 57 is held in either of its positions to-wit, up or down by a spring-actuated plun er (iO-see Fig. 9. When the counters are ocked by said slide 57, the upper end of said slide will project above the upper edge of the frame 11, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10, and consequently, the slide 57 must be forced down before the frame 11 can be placed in its position in the housing 8, thereby unlocking the counters.

At the lower end of the frame 11, there is a recess 61 see Fig. 9, in which a ticket may be deposited containing data such as the number of a car which is being unloaded, the date, etc.

Having described the invention in detail, I next describe briefly an operation of the apparatus as follows: As it is shown in Fig. 1, the descendin barrel or cask first engages the unlockingever 23, the effect of which is to unlock the lever 6 and permit said lever to be carried forward by the moving barrel; the effect of this is to raise the pitman 9 and therewith the housing 8 containing the counters, the movement of the lever 6 and pitman 9 depending upon the size of the barrel, and a consequent movement of the housin r S being likewise dependent upon the size of t ie barrel. The respective counter for that size of barrel is brought in a position with its actuator 12 in alinement with a specific actuator 13,' the counter is locked in this position by the pin 19 on the lever 20, engaging one of the notches 18 on the frame 8 the counter is then set. When the counter housing 8 is elevated sufiiciently to clear the end of the pin 42, the said pin is thrown outwardly b its spring to disenga e the notch 41 in tie lorizontal rod 30 an( to unlock the machine for thc counter to be actuated. This latter operation is performed by the barrel or cask engaging the upright lever 34, as said barrel or cask descends past the lever 6; this enagernent of the lever 34 moves the rod. 3() ongitudinally against the tension of the spring 25 and actuates the lever 28 to move the actuator 27 with the pin 13 thereon engaging the actuator 12 of the set counter. The total counter 51 is actuated at the same time through the operation of lever 53 which is actuated from the pin 55 and actuator 27.

-During the inward movement of the actuator 27, the projection 48 of the pawl 46 engages the recess 49 of the lever 20, and during the outward movement of the actuator 27, the pawl 46 will disenvage the pin 19 from the notch 18 thereby allowing the housing 8 to descend. During this descending movement of the housing 8 the end 45 of the bolt 42 is en aged by said housing and said bolt is moved in engagement with the notch 41 on the rod 30 to lock the counter-actuating mechanism.

I claim:

1. Means for automatically counting packages, comprising a series of counters, each of which is adapted to count a specific size of package, means for moving the counters in a ody to bring a definite counter in a position to be operated, said means being actuated by the moving package, and further means actuated by t e moving package to operate the counter to record said package.

2. In a machine of the type speciiied, a series of counters, each counter being adapted to count a specific size of package, means for moving said counters in a body, said means being actuated by a moving package, and the osition of the counter upon which said package is to be registered depending upon the size of said package, and means for actuating said counter, said last-named means being operated by the moving package which is counted by said counter.

3. In a machine of the t Tpe specified, a series of individual banks o counters movable in a body and each bank of said counters being adapted to register a definite size of barrel or cask, means for selecting any of said counters to be operated, and means for operating a selected counter, both of said means being actuated by a moving barrel or cask.

4. In a machine of the t pe specified, the combination of a series of anks of counters movable in a body and designed to count casks or barrels of different sizes, means connected with the body of counters and engaged by a moving barrel or cask to move the counter for that size of barrel or cask to a position to be subsequently actuated, and

means engaged by the barrel or cask in the movement of the latter and through which said counter is operated.

5. In a machine of the type specified, individual counters movable 1n a body and cach of which counts a definite size cask or barrel, means for selecting each counter to be actuated, said means being actuated by each barrel or cask as the latter moves, an actuator for each counter, said actuators being movable simultaneously so that the one operating in connection With the selected counter will operate said counter, and means for imparting movement to the actuators of the counters, said last-named means being operated by the moving barrel or cask.

6. In a machine of the type specified, a skid over which barrels or casks of different sizes may travel, individual counters for each size of cask or barrel, an actuator forv each counter and adapted to engage their 4respective counters when said counters are brought into operative relation therewith, means actuated by the cask or barrel as the latter moves over said skid and whereby the counter corresponding to said cask or barrel is placed in operative relation with an actuator, and means actuatedv by the continued movement of the cask or barrel to operate the counter through the movement of the actuator.

7. In a machine oi the type specified, a series of banks of counters, each bank being adapted to count barrels or casks of definite sizes, means for unlocking the machine for the next subsequent operation, means for moving the counters to a position to set one of the counters in position to be operated, said unlocking means and counter-setting means being actuated in succession by a movin barrel or cask, and further means for actuating the set counter, said further means being also actuated by the moving barrel or cask, and the counter thus actuated being operated to count said barrel or cask.

8. In a machine of the type specied, a series of banks of counters adapted to count barrels or casks of different sizes, means for selecting a counter for each size of barrel or cask, said means being actuated by a cask or barrel as the latter moves upon a skid or run-Way and whereby the counter for that )articular size of cask or barrel is selected ior o eration, actuating mechanism through which) said selected counter is operated, said actuating mechanism being operated by the movin barrel or cask, and means for locking sald actuating mechanism after such operation and against subsequent operation until the next counter is selected for operation.

9. In a machine o'r` the t pe specified, a series of counters one of saidr counters being adapted to count a definite size of barrel or cask, an actuator to engage one of said counters at a time, means operated by a moving barrel or cask to place the counter for that size barrel or cask in an operative position relative to said actuator, means operated by the moving barrel or cask to o crate said actuator, and to thereby actuate t 1e counter to count that speciic barrel or cask, and means initially actuated by said barrel or cask to unlock the machine and to permit of the subsequent operation as described.

10. ln a machine of the character speciied, the combination with a skid or runway, of a series of banks of counters adapted to be moved in a body to bring a particular one of said counters to a position to register an article movin over said skid or runway, devices initialy actuated by said moving article to bring a counter to such position, and means actuated by the continued movement of said article to actuate the counter thus initially moved and to thereby register said article thereon.

11. In a machine of the type speciiied, a series of specific counters movable in a body and each of Which is ada ted to count a delinite size of barrel or cas selecting mechanism actuated by each moving barrel or cask to place a counter in operative relation with subsequent mechanism throu h which it is operated, said selecting mec anism being actuated by each moving barrel or cask, means for o erating the selected counter, said means eing actuated by the moving barrel or cask, a total counter upon which all sizes of barrels or casks are counted, and means for actuating said total counter, said means being likewise actuated by the moving barrels or casks.

12. In a machine of the type specified, a series of banks of counters movable in a bod and each of which is adapted to count a de nite size cask or barrel, a housing in which said counters are mounted, an actuator adapted to engage one of said counters to operate the same and to thus count a barrel or barrels of definite size, means extending from said actuator, said means being operated from the moving barrels or casks and comprising a lever standing in the ath of each uarrel or cask, and connections etWeen said lever and the counter actuator.

13. In a device of the class specied, a skid over which casks of different sizes may travel, a bank of counters one for each size of cask, a housing in which said counters are mounted, an actuator adapted to engage one of said counters at a time, a lever engaged by said cask as the latter is moving, means actuated by said lever to set the counter corresponding to that size cask in an operative position with the actuator, another lever subsequently engaged by the moving cask to operate the actuator and to thereby operate the selected counter, connections between said last-named lever and the actuator for so operating the selected counter.

14. In a machine of the type speciiied, a run-way or skid over which barrels may travel, arseries of counters each one of said counters being adapted to count barrels of a deiinite size, means l'or looking the machine against operation, a depending lever being a portion ol such means, and said lever being adapted to be initially actuated by a barrel or keg moving over said skid and whereby the machine is unlocked, means for moving the counters to a position for one of said counters to be operated to count a specilic size of barrel, a depending lever comprising a portion of said means and said depending lever being actuated by the moving barrel to so move the counters to a position to count said barrel on one of said counters, means for actuating said counter, a lever comprising a i portion of such means and said lever being actuated by said barrel and whereby a single y barrel unlocks the machine, sets the counter and actuates said counter, substantially as speclfieol.

15. In a machine of the type specified, a skid over which casks or barrels of various sizes may travel a bank of counters to count each size of barrels or casks, a housing for said counters, and from which said counters are removable, means for moving the housing to a position for a selected counter to be operated, said means being operated by each moving barrel o1' eask, means for locking the counters when removed from the housing, an actuator adapted to operate one of said counters at a time when the counters are moved to a position to bring each selected counter to a position to be operated, a lever standing in the path of the moving barrels or casks and adapted to be operated thereby, and connections between said lever and the actuator, whereby movement is imparted to each specific counter after it has been set by each moving barrel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses CHARLES E. MUHLENBEltG.

Witnesses:

R. J MCCARTY, MATTHEW SIEBLER. 

